DPOR License Lookup: How to Verify a Virginia Contractor

The Virginia DPOR license lookup is the fastest way to check whether a contractor is legally allowed to work on your project. It takes about two minutes: go to the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation's free online tool, search by license number or business name, and confirm the record shows an active license in the right class (A, B, or C) for the right type of work. This guide walks through each step and flags the warning signs that should stop a hire.

Last reviewed October 5, 2026. This is an operational guide, not legal advice. Confirm requirements with DPOR or counsel before you sign a contract.

What is the DPOR license lookup?

DPOR, the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, licenses contractors through the Board for Contractors and tradespeople (electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians) through the tradesman programs. Its online license lookup is the authoritative record for every DPOR-issued credential in the Commonwealth. It is free, requires no account, and covers contractors, tradesmen, and dozens of other professions.

Because the lookup is the source of record, use it rather than trusting a contractor's word or a copy of a pocket card. A photocopied license can be expired or suspended; the live record cannot. For a broader overview of the verification process, see our guide on how to verify a contractor license, which covers the same workflow across all states.

How do I look up a contractor's license on DPOR?

1. Go to the DPOR license lookup.
2. Select "Contractors" from the license type dropdown (or choose the tradesman category if you are checking an individual electrician or plumber).
3. Search by license number, contractor name, or business name. Virginia requires licensed contractors to print their license number on contracts and advertisements, so ask for it first: a hesitation here is already a signal.
4. If you search by name, try both the individual's name and the company name. The license may be registered under either one.

Virginia contractor licenses are ten digits and start with 270, so a number like 2705177340 is a quick sanity check that you are looking at a contractor record rather than a tradesman credential.

What does a Virginia contractor license record show?

A DPOR contractor record includes:

• License number and name. The legal business name the license was issued to.
• License description. Should read "Contractor." If it reads "Tradesman" or "Backflow Prevention Device Worker," you are looking at an individual credential, not a contracting business license.
• Rank (Class A, B, or C). The license class, which caps the size of projects the contractor may perform.
• Specialties. The classifications the contractor is qualified for, such as Residential Building (RBC), Commercial Building (CBC), or Electrical (ELE).
• Firm type. Sole proprietorship, LLC, corporation, and so on. The entity you are contracting with should match the entity on the license.
• Initial certification date. How long the contractor has been licensed in Virginia.
• Expiration date. Must be in the future. Virginia contractor licenses renew every two years.

Anything other than an active status, or a specialty that does not cover your scope of work, means the contractor cannot legally do the job as described.

What do Class A, B, and C mean in Virginia?

Virginia contractor licenses come in three classes based on project value, defined in the Code of Virginia (Section 54.1-1100):

These thresholds were raised on July 1, 2025 (by HB1707), so older articles and exam-prep sheets that cite $10,000 / $120,000 class boundaries are out of date. When in doubt, trust the current statute text on law.lis.virginia.gov.

Working above your class limit is a license violation that can trigger disciplinary action by the Board. A Class C contractor who signs a $75,000 addition is not covered, even if the license itself is active. Always match the class to your contract value.

One more nuance: the class is the monetary limit; the specialty is the work limit. A Class A Commercial Building contractor may not do electrical work unless that contractor (or its qualifying firm) also holds the right classification. Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC contractors must hold a master tradesman license as a condition of licensure. Check both fields.

How do you verify tradesmen in Virginia?

DPOR's lookup covers individual tradesman licenses too: journeyman and master electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, gas fitters, and others. For trade work, you want two active records: the contracting business license and the qualifying individual's tradesman credential. This is the step most people skip, and it is the one that matters most when the scope includes electrical or plumbing work. Search the same lookup tool by the individual's name under the tradesman license type.

What are the red flags in a DPOR lookup result?

• No record at all. If the license number or name returns nothing, the person is not licensed as they claim. In Virginia, any project over $1,000 in total value requires a licensed contractor.
• Expired or suspended status. An expired license gives the contractor no legal authority to contract. Check the expiration date, not just the status line.
• Wrong class for your project. Compare the class to your contract value using the table above.
• Missing specialty. The record exists, but the classification does not cover your scope. This is the most common way competent tradesmen end up working outside their license.
• Name mismatch. The business on your contract is not the business on the license. Payments should only ever go to the licensed entity.
• Short history plus a brand-new license number. Not disqualifying on its own, but worth one more round of reference checks.

Virginia's Contractor Transaction Recovery Fund pays consumers holding unpaid judgments against licensed contractors, up to $30,000 per claim and $100,000 per contractor per biennium (raised in 2025). It only covers work by licensed contractors, which is another reason the lookup comes first.

Unlicensed contracting is a criminal offense under Virginia Code Section 54.1-1115, and courts have refused to enforce contracts made by unlicensed contractors, which means paying one can leave you with no legal recourse if the job goes wrong. DPOR's own consumer tips are worth repeating: get at least three estimates, insist on a written contract, and limit your deposit to 10 percent or $1,000, whichever is less.

Frequently asked questions

Is the DPOR license lookup free?

Yes. The lookup is free and does not require an account or sign-in. Anyone can verify any DPOR license, which is what makes it the default tool for homeowners, GCs, and compliance teams alike.

What if the contractor's license expired last month?

An expired license has no legal force. The contractor must reinstate it with the Board before performing work. Do not accept "the renewal is in the mail" as a substitute for an active record, and recheck the record before any draw payment on longer projects.

Can I look up a Virginia contractor's bond and insurance through DPOR?

Class A and B contractors must satisfy a financial test (a $50,000 surety bond or a net-worth requirement: $45,000 for Class A, $15,000 for Class B). DPOR's record reflects the license's good standing, which depends on meeting these requirements. For the bond document itself, ask the contractor for the bond certificate and verify it with the surety. Our guide to workers comp verification for contractors covers the insurance side of the check.

Does Virginia have license reciprocity with other states?

Virginia does not grant full reciprocity to out-of-state contractors, though exam waivers exist in limited cases (for example, certain trade exams from North Carolina). An out-of-state contractor still needs a Virginia license before contracting for work in the Commonwealth. Verify the Virginia license number, not the home-state credential.

How do I automate DPOR license verification at scale?

If you onboard contractors, subs, or property-service pros regularly, manual lookups do not scale: a two-minute check times hundreds of vendors is a full-time job, and records change between onboarding and the next project phase. StateLicense's Virginia DPOR contractor license lookup and Virginia contractor license API read the same official DPOR records and can verify licenses in bulk, on a schedule, so an expiration or suspension surfaces before the next payment goes out.

Quick checklist before you hire in Virginia

1. Get the contractor's license number (it must appear on their contract and ads).
2. Search it at the DPOR license lookup: confirm active status and a future expiration date.
3. Match the class (A, B, or C) to your contract value.
4. Match the specialty to your scope of work.
5. For electrical, plumbing, or HVAC, verify the tradesman credential of the qualifying individual.
6. Confirm the business entity on the license matches the entity on your contract.
7. Cap the deposit at 10 percent or $1,000, and never let payments get ahead of the work.

Pair this lookup with the other checks on the contractor onboarding verification checklist: identity, insurance, bond, W-9, and sanctions. A license lookup tells you the contractor is legal; the rest of the checklist tells you they are safe to pay.